


Her Happiness

by binkty



Category: Sleepy Hollow (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Jenny ships Ichabbie, One-Sided Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-17
Updated: 2015-03-17
Packaged: 2018-03-18 06:33:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3559706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/binkty/pseuds/binkty
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jenny watched Crane watch Abbie and Calvin. Watched him watch them share a soft kiss. Her head bowed in sympathy for him. “How hard is it seeing her with him?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Her Happiness

Crane observed them from across the bar; Abbie hunched over the billiards table, lining up her shot, and Calvin standing just to her right, casually leaning on his pool cue and gazing at her affectionately.

It had been four months since Abbie had allowed enough cracks to form in her defences to finally let Calvin in. And six months since he had begun his quest to win over her heart. It was a battle quietly if not hard fought. Calvin made sure that she knew he was interested but never forced the issue, always staying within her periphery but never getting in her face.

From the moment they met, Calvin noted that Abbie was one who put up walls, assumed a facade. And though he quickly discovered he could see right through her facade, as much as that seemed to throw her off kilter, he knew that getting past her walls wouldn’t come as quickly. Those first two months after he was offered a reluctant spot on their team were spent earning her trust.

He made himself an open book, sharing with her anything she wanted to know, opening up to her in the hopes that she would get comfortable enough to do the same. Through it all he remained persistent in his pursuit but never to the point of being importunate and gradually endeared himself to her until she could no longer deny it.

Just when Abbie was about to take her shot, Calvin knocked her cue with his in a playful attempt at sabotage. He smiled down at her teasingly as her head slowly angled in his direction. His hands came up in surrender and he said something that Crane couldn’t hear for the din. Abbie just gave him a small smile and a good-natured shove before they both dissolved into soft laughter and she moved to set up her shot one more time.

A beer bottle being thumped down in front of him snapped Crane out of his reverie.

“One not-really-Sam-Adams Sam Adams,” Jenny announced as she flopped back into her seat with a sigh.

Crane smirked at the title Jenny gave for the beer and tipped the bottle toward her in gratitude. “My thanks, Miss Jenny.”

"No problem, Crane," she returned, taking a sip from her own drink.

He brought his gaze back to Abbie and Calvin and their game. “She looks truly happy, doesn’t she?”

Jenny smiled in her sister’s direction. “Yeah she does. Calvin’s been really good for her. Helps to bring in some levity amidst all the doom and gloom.”

Crane took a sip of his beer and then nodded, a rueful smile playing at his lips. Doom and gloom. That was what his presence brought to her life. Were it not for him, she could have been happily living her life in New York at her FBI.

Jenny watched Crane watch Abbie and Calvin. Watched him watch them share a soft kiss. Her head bowed in sympathy for him. “How hard is it seeing her with him?”

Crane turned toward her, his brow furrowed in confusion. “How hard is it seeing her with him? I’m afraid I don’t–”

“Crane,” she admonished gently, “Come on. I know you’re in love with her.”

He sputtered for a moment and thought about trying to deny further but found that under Jenny’s unwavering gaze, any attempt he made would be useless in the end and let out a defeated chuckle instead. “My heart soars to see her so happy but clenches at the knowledge that it is another who’s responsible for bringing about her happiness. It would seem that I am forever destined to be the one on the outside looking in.”

"Have you ever thought about telling her?" Jenny liked Calvin. She really did. He was a good man and he was good to Abbie. But Crane was practically as much her brother by this point as Abbie was her sister and seeing him like this when she knew how happy he and her sister could both be if they just gave themselves the chance hurt her more then she let on.

Crane shook his head vehemently. “I will not jeopardize her happiness in a selfish attempt to garner my own.

"Despite my original misgivings, Mr. Riggs has proven himself an honourable and trustworthy man. And he has shown nothing but respect and devotion where Miss Mills is concerned. However much I might envy him their relationship, it does not change the fact that, as you said, he’s been good for her."

Crane shook his head again. “No. I cannot see how any good could come of my telling her. I will not put our friendship at risk and make myself a wedge in their relationship. I will not go down that path again.”

Jenny nodded if a little sadly. She understood where he was coming from. The last time he found himself in a similar position, it didn’t exactly turn out well to say very the least. And she would feel bad about Calvin. Still, she couldn’t help but hope that someday, maybe one day down the road, Crane and Abbie would find their way to each other.

Their game completed, Abbie and Calvin rejoined Crane and Jenny at their table. Abbie’s smiling face immediately fell when she took Crane in.

“You alright, Crane?” she asked, concern etched all over her features.

Crane pushed his conversation with Jenny aside and forced a smile to his face. After all she was happy. In the scheme of things, that was all that mattered. “Perfectly well, Lieutenant.”


End file.
